1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for holding or widening tubular interlocking stranded rope or cable or of placing protuberances or bulges thereon which are immovable longitudinally along the rope. The bulge increases the diameter of the rope to create, for example, an abutment that prevents longitudinal movement of the rope past a mating abutment or stop member.
The words braid, plait, weave, intertwine, interlace or mesh have some similarity of meanings. For purposes of this patent they are deemed to be exactly synonymous. Herein they mean three or more strands or strand groups united to form a rope by intercrossing--that is, passing over and under each other--such that a rod passing transversly through the rope so formed is immovable longitudinally along the rope. The strand or strand groups of such rope may be said to interlock and such rope exhibits a locking phenomenon. This invention is for use with such interlocking stranded rope.
The word tubular herein means a rope in which the strands or strand groups thereof can be arranged to substantially surround an object. This invention is for use with such tubular rope.
That is, the type of rope intended to be used with this invention is tubular interlocking stranded rope as hereinabove defined.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Reduced to its most fundamental function, wherever rope is used, its purpose is to prevent two objects from moving apart more than a maximum distance from each other. Therefore, to be useful, a rope must be held at at least two points. To accomplish this objective, rope must be connected to each object, with one object connected at one point on the rope and the other connected at a point longitudinally spaced from the first point of connection. This is, decreased its resistance to tension. Furthermore, this inventor knows of no rope bulging method or connecting or widening device which employs the locking phenomenon of interlocking stranded rope as described herein, either alone or in combination with pressing surfaces.
It is the purpose of this invention to provide: (1) a longitudinally compact bulge of wide spot on the rope; (2) a quick releasable fixture for attaching rope; (3) a method of widening rope at intermediate points, as opposed to end points, so that the effective length of the rope and therefore the distance between two objects may be quickly adjusted; (4) to cover the rope at contact points of the attached object whereby to prevent line chafe; and (5) to be used in conjunction with the inventor's boat mooring apparatuses, described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,109,603 and 4,190,011 as an alternative form of a bulge.